CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 193

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 739

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 739, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LAND EXCHANGE,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Allow the Governor, subject to approval by the Board of Land and Natural Resources, to negotiate land exchanges consistent with and in furtherance of the State's agricultural and housing needs and purposes, in a manner that ideally addresses all needs and purposes; and

(2) Require the Governor to submit a report to the Legislature of the negotiated land exchanges for final approval.

Your Committee on Conference finds that the State's current level of agricultural production is insufficient to meet the State's food consumption needs, leaving the State overly reliant on imported food which threatens the State's sustainable future and preparedness for future disasters, emergencies, and crises. Your Committee on Conference also finds that the lack of suitable, entitled lands for development of appropriate housing is a major factor in the housing crisis, and substantial obstacles and delays in entitling such lands discourage development, lower housing inventory, and raise housing prices. Your Committee on Conference also finds that land exchanges represent a viable method of addressing the agricultural and housing challenges that the State currently experiences. This measure allows the Governor to negotiate mutually beneficial exchanges of developable state lands for housing for privately owned agricultural lands for farming.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2025.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 739, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 739, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ MARK J. HASHEM Co-Chair	____________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE Chair
____________________________ KIRSTIN KAHALOA Co-Chair	____________________________ MIKE GABBARD Co-Chair
____________________________ RACHELE LAMOSAO Co-Chair	____________________________ HENRY J.C. AQUINO Co-Chair